DESCRIPTION

Polysorbate 80 occurs as a yellow to orange colored, oily liquid. It is a mixture of oleate partial esters of sorbitol and sorbitol anhydrides condensed with approximately 20 moles of ethylene oxide (C₂H₄O) for each mole of sorbitol and its mono- and dianhydrides. It is very soluble in water, producing a nearly colorless solution, and it is soluble in alcohol, in fixed oils, in ethyl acetate, and in toluene. It is insoluble in mineral oil.